Improved Diagnostics
Diagnostic Imaging Agent
The compounds being developed by Alzhyme also have the potential to be developed as molecular imaging agents for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. To accelerate this program of research, Alzhyme has established a collaborative research agreement with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, NSW, to develop an analogue of ANA-5 as a radiopharmaceutical agent to image amyloid deposits in the brains of living patients.
Because ANA-5 binds to a specific site within the human beta-amyloid protein, with the successful radiolabelling of the compound, the potential exists for the development of an early diagnostic and imaging test for Alzheimer’s disease, using either Positron Emission Tomography (PET) or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging techniques.
The project offers significant commercial potential for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by allowing:
- More accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease early in the disease course and before significant memory loss occurs.
- Earlier and more appropriate treatment and management of Alzheimer’s disease patients.
- Identification of mild cognitive impairment patients likely to progress to Alzheimer’s disease.
- Monitoring the response to treatment with new amyloid targeted therapeutics.
Diagnostic Blood Test
The pathological processes of Alzheimer’s disease begin years before clinical symptoms are observed. With no marketed definitive diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease, clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is primarily based on subjective methods such as cognitive testing by physicians. There remains a considerable unmet market for a reliable, cost effective and minimally invasive test (e.g. blood test) that would allow early accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and result in improved patient treatment. Analysts have predicted that a diagnostic blood test for Alzheimer’s disease would generate world-wide annual sales of US$1 billion.
Alzhyme’s aim is to develop a minimally-invasive, low cost yet reliable diagnostic kit for the routine detection of disease biomarkers in blood serum. Alzhyme has initiated a program of research based on the Company’s proprietary technology to develop a blood test of serum based biomarkers for use in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. This technology puts Alzhyme ahead of its competitors as this approach provides greater sensitivity and specificity in the creation of an accurate blood test. Additionally, such a test would improve clinical trials by facilitating better patient recruitment, providing a more accurate diagnosis of the disease and monitoring of drug efficacy
